by Christopher Makaza
Militant MDC-Alliance youths who are deployed at various provincial party offices countrywide to guard the premises against takeover by Dr Thokozani Khupe`s MDC-T have threatened to withdraw their services citing hunger and none payment of their allowances.
Deployment of the youths at the provincial party offices was a reaction to the taking over of the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House (MRTH) in April by the MDC-T following the Supreme Court ruling which declared Dr Khupe as the acting president of the opposition party.
Since then, the MDC-Alliance youths threatened to defend the remaining opposition premises with blood.
A disgruntled youth manning one of the provincial offices who talked to Harare Post on condition of anonymity revealed that they were promised by the leadership monthly allowances of more than ZWL$5000 each and food rations, which they are yet to receive.
“We have been here since April, manning these offices. We were instructed by our leadership to attack any MDC-T official who dares to come and take over these offices. We were promised by our leadership allowances for the job considering that we are working away from home. They also promised to feed us but to-date we have not received any food, we have families to look after and we need food to survive.
“We have agreed with our colleagues to withdraw our services and leave this place by end of next week if our concerns are not addressed. We have since notified the provincial leadership about our intention and they have promised to address the issue soon,” said the contact.
According to the contact, provincial leadership who include legislators, Provincial and District Assembly members were directed by the national leadership to look into the welfare of the youths manning their respective party offices, providing them with the needed allowances and food. The contact highlighted that the legislators in particular were complaining that they had no money to feed the youths as they were also sponsoring various party activities.
Prior to taking over of the MRTH by the MDC-T, MDC-Alliance deputy leader Tendai Biti activated the MDC-A militia group which comprised of 23 youths from across the country to guard the building against the takeover. Biti`s plot however failed as the MDC-T successfully took over the party`s headquarters.
Commenting on the 31 July intended demonstration being organised by Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume and the MDC-Alliance officials, the contact said they were reluctant to participate in the demonstration as they no longer want to be used by the opposition leaders for their own political mileage.
“We are tired of being used by the top leadership who want to satisfy their personal egos. We can`t be seen participating in an event whose objective is not clearly spelt out and besides, the issue of Covid-19 is real and we should be very careful about it.
“Currently the country is seized with rising cases of the deadly disease, so engaging in demonstration at this moment is very dangerous,” said the contact.
The distressed MDC-Alliance is also struggling to pay more than 50 000 people it hired as polling agents for the 2018 harmonised elections throughout the country.
